Managers asking for feedback can help the team stay focused on top priorities. Part of preparing for an increased remote workforce will require clarity around how all teams fit into the grand scheme of things. Ensure communications and feedback protocols between groups are known. Continually keeping tabs on what tech is available in the marketplace to make work better for remote employees is a good way for organizations to gain an edge.

Tips for Succeeding in Working Remotely

However, there are overlapping strategies and many shared principles. A culture survey can give you insights into what is working well and opportunities to improve so you can target your culture-building efforts strategically. Culture is made up of the attitudes, behaviors, and values of a group or organization. In other words, it’s the heart and soul of your company and its people. Frequent communication will help everyone stay on the same page and build better connections and trusted relationships across the team. But others have embraced a “digital nomad” lifestyle—working and traveling across multiple locations.

Get Face Time

Let’s explore the remote work trends, tips, and techniques that can help you get the most out of your remote work. Make sure you have clear processes in place for how and when your team will communicate with each other. This will streamline your workflows, build trust, and ensure accountability across the board.

I’ve taken steps to make certain areas of the house no-work zones and I use time tracking apps to not only keep track of my working hours but ensure I don’t overwork myself. Managing remote teams presents its own set of challenges, but with the right strategies in place, it can be done effectively. It’s essential to set clear expectations and goals, establish regular check-ins and feedback sessions, and provide opportunities for virtual team-building activities. Particularly when working on big projects or to a deadline, remote work really enables you to put your head down and focus. This can be super-effective when it comes to being productive, but can also present a challenge of losing contact with your colleagues. Be sure to stay in contact as much as possible, whether that’s through email, over Slack or in video chats.

Managing remotely: advice for managers

Keep in mind that as things evolve, it will be important to track progress and support go-forward decisions around your remote workforce with actionable data. Your physical tools will vary depending on the type of work you’re doing. For digital tools look at some of the powerful features of Dropbox, which can greatly enhance productivity. If your communications are solid you can dovetail your favorite tools with Dropbox. Browse our app integrations for Slack, Google Workspace, Zoom, and others.

  • It’s recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night.
  • Increasing remote work productivity comes down to helping employees feel organized and in-control of their work and workday.
  • A simple, “Thanks, everyone. Bye!” at the close goes a long way toward making your presence known.
  • Ideally, you should support employee wellness through preventative measures, which often look like minor lifestyle changes but can cumulatively amount to a big difference in health.
  • When everyone is aware of the expectations, it’s easier to work together and avoid misunderstandings.

Take your time navigating the company’s training documents and onboarding materials. Walk yourself through each new tool — especially the ones that revolve around workflow and communication — and play around with them. Once you’ve figured out your work station and how to keep yourself from getting too sedentary, it’s time to master your company’s technology and tools. This is especially important when you’re working from home since you can no longer tap your co-worker on the shoulder to ask questions.

Know when to log off when you work remotely

Talk to past colleagues who may be able to help you identify a job that is right for you. These statistics are not surprising to anyone who is actively engaged in today’s workforce. Millennials make up a larger portion of that workforce every day, and they expect flexibility. They are not alone, however, in craving the benefits that options like working from home can bring, as people of all ages seek ways to avoid a soul-crushing commute or enhance time with family or friends. According to a study of over 30,000 U.S. employees, even one day per week spent working from home could boost productivity by 4.8%. While each employee is different, research shows that being able to work remotely can improve employees’ productivity.

Tips for Succeeding in Working Remotely

Having a chai latte and a slice of carrot cake can help take the sting out of a difficult working day. They’re an important part of today’s business culture, and they’re likely to become even more vital as employees and employers how to work from home successfully note the ways in which they both benefit from such arrangements. Develop a strong relationship with your manager, emphasizing your short-term and long-term career goals and your desires to move up within the company.

Flexibility

Take them from Ginny Mineo, a startup marketer, who offers her work music preferences below. And, at work, the best playlists are diverse playlists — you can listen to music that matches the energy of the project you’re working on to boost your productivity. Try solidifying your schedule the day before, making it feel more official when you wake up the next day to get started on it.

Remote workers often express how they miss having interaction with workmates and a healthy dose of office banter. This is especially the case if you are working from home, alone, with no company to keep. Ensuring that you and your colleagues have efficient workflow and task management tools in place is key to successful remote working. Web and mobile applications such as Asana are great at helping teams organize, track, and manage their work. However, there are many alternatives on the market too, many of which are free.